Vehicle-control system.



1. T. CADE.

VEHICLE CONTROL SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED sEPT.i2,1912.

jwhen the engine Arcola,

una sas Arnia Eric.

JOHN T. CADE, or ARCOLA, NEW JERSEY, AssiGNoR 'ro FEDERAL SIGNAL COMPANY, A CORPORATION OE NEW YORK.

assiste.

To all 'LU/0m t may concer/n.'

Be it known that T, JOHN T. CADE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of county of Bergen, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Control Systems, of which the following is a specifica tion.

This invention relates to vehicle or train control systems and has for its object to eliminate certain dangers to railway traflic which have lately impressed themselves upon the minds of the public and those actively interested in the installation of systems and apparatus of this character. Recently it has been especially realized that many accidents upon railways ai'e due to the fact that engine drivers, for one reason and another,

- pass the ordinary semaphore signal while in its danger position in disregard of trahie regulations. It is found that such action of engine drivers is frequently due less to a voluntary disregard of the signal than to Y a failure to note or realize its danger indication.

Heretofore, it has been proposed to meet this condition by providing train stops to positively and automatically stop the traindriver passes or attempts to pass the signal in the danger or stop position. But a train stop is objectionable for reasons `peculiar to itself. In the first place it takes from the engine driver his own jcontrol of his train under certain conditions and makes him liable to rely upon the automatic stop instead of himself to avoid accidents. This tends to lessen that feeling of responsibility, watchfulness and to preserve in the engine driver. Furthermore, the automatic stop is not well adapted to efiicient conduct of traflic where such traffic is carried on under the usual widely varying conditions @of ordinary railway operation. A signal sometimes stands at warning indication when it is desirable for traffic reasons that it be passed if this is done with full realization by the engine driver of his act. A

' stoppage of the train under such conditions y an automatic train stop would serve no useful purpose but would be a hindrance to traffic.

` In the v'present invention 'the control of the train- `is not taken from rthe engine driver Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Application led September 12, 1912.

Patented July 3, 191W.. sel-iai No. 719,919.

butprovision is made to make him exercise increased care against proceeding when travel is dangerous, without full knowledge and realization of his act. It will be under` stood that travel is dangerous when conditions are such as those now usually indicated by the warning condition of a signal. In accordance with this invention, therefore, the automatic stop is eliminated and in its p lace there is provided a special alarm device designed to be automatically operated whenever the engine driver proceeds when travel is dangerous or when he enters a danger zone of the track, unless, having noted the danger condition of thetrack, he first performs some act, or requires some other person to perform some act, that will forstall the operation of the alarm device. If heA has noted the danger to travel, on the track ahead, and finds it advisable to proceed, notwithstanding, he is at liberty to do so provided he first performs some act, or requires some other person to perform some act, that will cut out the alarm device from operation. But if. with inattention and lack of watclifulness, he proceeds when travel is dangerous or into the danger zone, he will fail to cut out the alarm device, and it will operate and thereby cause others, and preferably him also, to realize what is taking place. This alarm device is distinct in its action or appeal from that of the bell, whistle or other signal usually carried on a train or vehicle, ranged to attract the attention of occupants of the vehicle or train other than the vehicle operaors, such as the engine driver and reman of a steam locomotive or the motorman of an electric car or train. The alarm device is also preferably designed and arranged to attract the attention of such operators of the vehicle or train in addition to that of the occupants, such as the passengers and Such as the train crew other than the Operators. Thus, the control of the train is left with the engine driver but he is induced to exercise increased watchfulness and is made to realize the consequences of his act when entering or about to enter a danger zone of the track.

In the preferred arrangement a signal is employed to indicate to the engine driver when travel is dangerous and it is arranged to give 4its warning at the entering end of of which is provided with track sections T1 and T2.

.. tracliway in proximity generator a track zone when travel in such Zone is dangerous. It 1s obvious that the signal with which the alarm device is associated may be a full stop or a cautionary signal. In either case, when the signal gives its warning indication, 1t 1s, to be understood that the track Zone guarded by the signal is cated on the engine'or at other points on the train. Nor is the invention to be restricted to any special means for controlling or operating the signal or alarm device.

The invention is shown in one of its various embodiments in the accompanying drawings.

Referring now to this particular embodiment of the invention, as shown in the drawing, T1 and T2 are two track sections, each the usual rail circuit, the former including track battery TB1 and track relay R1, and the latter including track battery TB2 and track relay R2. T3 is a track section in advance of A is a signal which may be of the usual semaphore type as shown and operated by a solenoid whose coil is E and core F. The signal is located at the entering end of track section TB1 and therefore serves to protect this track section and the following portion of the track. As shown in the drawing, the alarm device is in the form of an audible signal. VBut it may address itself to the intelligence in anyV suitable manner, audible or otherwise. Tn the present instance, ing of a gong G adapted to be struck by a solenoid striker Y having a coil X. This gone' is suitably housed and stationed on the to the signal A.

One terminal of the solenoid E is Vconnected with the generator SB and the other pole is connected through contact point 1, contact finger 2 and wire 3 with the other pole of this generator. Contact finger 2 is operated by coil of relay R1. M and N are two contact rails extending parallel with track section T3, the former being connected bv wire 23 with contact 24 and the latter Z being connected with contact 22 by wire 25.

Contact rail N is also connected by wire 11 to one pole of the generator SB and contact rail M is connected through wire 15, coil of relay R3 and wire 16 to the opposite pole of SB. Contract rail N is also connected through wire 17, contact finger 18, contact point 27, wire 19, contact finger 2O and wire 21 to wire 15. Solenoid coil X is connected on one side by wire 5 tocontact point 30, and contact point 29 is connected it is shown as consistf by wire 4 to one side of generator SB. On its other side, this coil X is connected through contact finger 7, contact point 8, wire 9, contact point 6, contact finger 10, wire 11, contact point 26, contact finger 12 and wire 18 to the opposite side of the generator SB. C and D are'two contacts carried on the blade of signal A. Contact C is adapted to connect contact points 29 and 30 when the signal is in danger position. Contact D is adapted to connect contact points 24 and 25 when the signal is in safety or proceed position. Contact fingers 12 and 18 are operated by coil of' track relay B2. Conf tact fingers and 20 are operatedby coil of relay R3. V1 is a car on the track provided with a pivotally mounted contact shoe K normally elevated above the level of the contact rails M and N but adapted to contact with and bridge the contact rails M and N when the engine driver depresses the treadle J. V2 is a car similarly provided with a shoe K.

In the normal condition of the system, that is when there are no cars on the track, the track magnets B1 and B2 are energized. The former serves to hold normally closed the circuit through solenoid coil E so that signal A is normally held in safety or proceed position with Contact points 24 and 25 bridged by contact D. This serves to open the circuits of which the contact fingers 12 and 18 are a part. Magnet R3 is normally energized and its contact fingers held in elevated position. The normally closed circuit of magnet R3 may be traced from battery SB, through wire 111, contact rail N, wire 22, Contact point 25, contact D, contact point V241, wire 23, contact rail M, wire 175,V magnet R3 and wire 16 back to battery. It will be seen that in thenormal condition, the circuit of the alarm device or gong G is normally broken at contact points 29 and 30 and also at contact fingers 10 and 12.

The operation of the system is as follows. Vhen a train reaches track section T3 and the signal is at safety, the train proceeds on to track section T2, thereby denergizing magnet R1 and dropping its contact fingers 12 and 18. This produces no effect upon the alarm device because its circuit is still broken at contact points 29 and 30 and contact finger 10. Then the train enters on track section T1, it denergizes coil of relay B1 thereby opening the circuit for the signal and permitting it to move to danger position behind the train. Tn the drawing the. train V2 is shown occupying track 'section T1 with the consequent result that the signal is in danger position, closing contacts 29 and 30 and opening contacts 21 and 25. The opening of contacts 21 and 25 breaks the circuit of magnet R3 and drops contact fingers 10 and 20. When now the following train V1 enters track section T3, the. engine driver may stop his train in response to the danger indication of the signal. lf he fails to note the signal and carelessly proceeds, then when his train reaches track section T2, it denergizes magnet circuit of the gong or' other alarm device and sets it in operation. This circuit may be traced from battery SB, through wire t, contacts 29, C and 30, wire 5, coil X, contacts 7 and 8, wire 9, contacts (i andv 10, wire 11, contacts 2G and 12, and wire 13 back to battery. The operation of the alarm device attracts the attention of the engine driver and makes him aware of the fact that he is negligently passing the signal in danger position. As already stated, the character of warning produced by thealarm device is so distinctive that it not only attracts the attention of the engine driver but also attracts the attention of the train crew and passengers so that the negligent act of the engineer is known to other persons on the train who may operate the engine whistle or apply the emergency brake. If, however, when the train V1 reaches track section T3 with the signal at danger and the engine driver desires to pass the signal in this position, he may then depress the shoe K so as to bridge contact rails M and N and thereby close the circuit through magnet R3. This opens the alarm circuit at contact finger 10 and closes contact linger Q0 with its contact point. The train then proceeds on to track section T2 whereupon magnet R2 is denergized thereby closing contact linger 12 with contact point 26 and Contact finger 18 with contact point 27. This action of track magnet R2 takes place before magnet R3 is denergized by the passing of shoe K beyond contact rails M and N. For this purpose magnet R3 may be constructed so as to have a slow release. The result of this action is that magnet R3 is kept energized by the train in section T2 even after the train V1 has passed on to track section T2 and beyond track rails M and N, the circuit through this inagnet being as follows; from battery SB, through wire 14, Contact rail N, wire 17, contacts 18 and 27 wire 19, contact linger 20, wire 21, magnet R3 and wire 16 to battery. When the train passes beyond track section T2, magnet R2 will be restored to normally energized condition and contact fingers 12 and 18 are lifted from their contact points. This action of contact finger 18 breaks the circuit just traced through magnet R3 which thereupon drops its contact fingers 10 and 20. Then a train, as V2, moves on to track section T1, it sets the signal at danger as heretofore explained, and when it passes beyond this track section and the track portion guarded by the sig nal, the signal returns to safety position with the circuits and devices in normal condition.

R2 and closes thel The invention may be associated with a signal standing normally at danger as well as with one standing normally at safety, also with a signal located on the train as well as on the trackway and also with a signal whose indication is given otherwise than by changes in position.

Instead of providing that the engine driver, himself, may perform the act which forestalls the operation of the alarm device, it may be provided that he must require some one else to perform such act. For example, it may to enable the conductor to get ofi" out the alarm device by located on the trackway. the normally open switch nected to wires 22 and 23. stops the conductor may and keep it closed till the tiain has passed beyond track section T2 whereupon he may then open it. This produces the same resiilt as the act of the engine driver in depressing shoe K.

he term danger condition of a signal, as herein used, .means a cautionary or any condition other than safety, and may indicate that the train or vehicle should stop down or be prepared and eut operating a switch For this purpose S is shown con- Then the train close this switch immediately or slow to stop.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is z 1. In a vehicle control system, the combination of an alarm device distinct in its action from that of the signals usually carried on a vehicle or train and designed and arranged to attract the attention of occupants of the vehicle or train other than the operators thereof; a signal on the trackway controlling said alarm device; vehicle conirolled means for operating the alarm device; and means operable from the vehicle for preventing the operation of said alarm device.

2. In a vehicle control system, the combi nation of an alarm device located on the trackway and controlled by the condition of a portion of the track in advance of said alarm device; vehicle controlled means for operating the alarm device; and means operable from the vehicle for preventing the operation of said alarm device.

In a vehicle control system, the combination of an alarm device distinct in its action from that of the signals usually carried on a vehicle or train and designed and arranged to attract the attention of occupants of the vehicle or train other than the operators thereof; a signal on the trackway controlling said alarm device; a track circuit controlling said alarm device; and means operable from the vehicle for preventing the operation of the alarm device.

4. In a railway train control system, the combination of a signal guarding a portion be provided that he must stopA oi the track; a track circuit controlling said signal; an alarm device controlled by the signal and opeiable when the signal is in a predetermined condition of indication, said alarm device being distinct in its action from that of the signals usuallyT carried on a vehicle or train and designed and arranged to attract the attention or' occupants of the vehicle or train other than the operators thereof; a track circuit controlling said alarm device; and means for preventing the operation of the alarm device.

5. In a vehicle control system, the combination of a signal; an alarm device conti'olled by the signal and operable when the signal is in a predetermined condition oi' indication, said alaim device being distinct in its action from that of the signals usually carried on a vehicle or train and designed and arranged to attract the attention of occupants of the vehicle or train other than the operators thereof; vehicle controlled means 'for operating the alarm device when the signal is in said condition of indication; and means operable from the vehicle for preventing the operation of the alarm device.

G. In a vehicle control system, the combination 0i' a signal located on the trackwvay;

an alarm device located on the trackivay` and operable When the signal is in a predetermined condition of indication; vehicle Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. C.

controlled means for operating the alarm device When the signal is in said condition of indication; and means operable from the vehicle for preventing the operation of the alarm device.

7. In a railway train control system, the combination of a signal guarding a portion oi' the track; a track circuit controlling said signal; an alarm device controlled by the signal and operable ivhen thesignal is in a predetermined condition of indication; a track circuit controlling said alarm device; and means operable from a train for pre venting the operation of the alarm device.

8. In a railway train control system, the combination of a signal stationed on the trackivay and guarding a portion of the track; a track circuit controlling said signal; an alarm device stationed on the track- Way andv operable When the signal is in a predetermined condition of indication; a track circuit controlling said alarm device; and means operable from a train for preventing the operation of the alarm device.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOI-IN T. CADE.

Witnesses:

IDA Gr. GiLMoRn, IVORTHINGTON CAMPBELL.

Commissioner of Patents,` 

